


It’s the Feeling of Freedom, Of Seeing the Light—

by duchessofthemoonbase



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, American Revolution, Eloping, F/M, Loss of Virginity, slippery!Damerey, some tender-ass 18th century love-making, typical bodice-rippy duchess nonsense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:29:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25642087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/duchessofthemoonbase/pseuds/duchessofthemoonbase
Summary: It’s 1776, and it’s the day Rey Palpatine runs away from her loyalist grandfather to elope with his dashing young apprentice, a revolutionary named Poe Dameron—and it’s the night they finally explore their passion for one another.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Rey
Comments: 25
Kudos: 48
Collections: Damerey Discord Shenanigans





	It’s the Feeling of Freedom, Of Seeing the Light—

**June 1776**

Rey walked into her grandfather’s shop, untying her hat ribbon from around her chin as she walked through the door. Her grandfather, Sheev Palpatine, had the biggest and most established general store in all of Williamsburg, and it always comforted her to walk inside, to be among the fabrics and spices and tools, despite the fact that she had despised her grandfather ever since the day he’d taken her in, after her parents died from fever years ago.

She took a deep breath as she watched her grandfather walk up from behind the counter. So many lies to keep in place these days…

She smiled. _But not for much longer…_

“Good afternoon, Rey,” her grandfather said. “I assume you had a nice time at the needlework group?”

“Indeed,” Rey said, smiling to herself—although not because of embroidery thread. She had gone to see a speaker in the town square give a rousing speech on Thomas Paine’s new pamphlet _Common Sense,_ and the energy she had witnessed around him had been as infectious and inspiring as ever.

“It’s good for you to work on refining yourself as much as you can right now,” her grandfather added. “You want to be as pleasing of a wife as you can be to Mr. Ren come your wedding this Autumn.”

The side door to the shop opened, and through it came Poe Dameron, her grandfather’s young apprentice, lugging in boxes of tea.

“Dameron,” her grandfather said. “Did you hear that my granddaughter is betrothed to a British officer?”

“I did indeed, sir,” Poe said, beginning to stack the tea on the counter. “Congratulations, miss,” he said, giving Rey a pointed look.

“Ah!” her grandfather said, examining the boxes. “I’m glad this new tea shipment came through. I’m always concerned about those damned rebels destroying it again. Did you hear the shop on the other side of town is refusing to sell it? It’s treasonous.”

“More business for us, sir,” Poe said, moving the boxes, and Rey watched out of the corner of her eye, appreciating the tight fit of his breeches as he knelt down.

“Exactly,” Palpatine said. “We’re loyal to the king in this family.”

“Of course, sir,” Poe said.

“Absolutely, Grandfather.”

Palpatine went out front to negotiate with a merchant who had stopped by, giving Rey and Poe a moment alone. She rushed behind the counter, where Poe reached for her hand and kissed it tenderly.

“I’m starting to worry,” Poe said. “All this talk about your wedding to that…to that despicable redcoat…”

Rey leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. “There’s only one person I’m truly betrothed to, Poe Dameron,” she whispered, and he smiled back at her fondly. “I promise.”

“We might have to change the plan,” Poe said. “With your wedding to Ren approaching, I won’t have time to finish out the terms of my apprenticeship with your grandfather—we’ll have to make a run for it.”

“So soon?”

“I want to fight, Rey,” Poe said, and she saw the fire in his eyes, the passion within him that always stirred at her heart. “I want to join the revolution as soon as I can. And besides, if we win, your grandfather could be on the run himself.”

“But where will we go?” Rey asked, more excited than wary.

“Boston,” Poe said. “I have a friend there we can stay with. We can get married there, you can work on writing your articles without having to hide them, I can join the fight—”

“I can’t bear being shut up in this house anymore,” Rey said. “Let’s go tonight.”

“Tonight?”

“Tonight,” Rey said, kissing her sweetheart quickly before her grandfather came back in. “Meet me out back at twilight.”

Poe stopped, looking at her in disbelief. “Darling…you’ve thought about this? You’d really burn all your bridges and risk everything to marry me?”

Rey smiled, sure as anything. “There’s revolution of all kinds in the air right now,” she said. “And mine’s one of them.”

***

Rey watched from the window of her bedroom as the sky darkened from pinkish-gold to a deep blue, her heart racing as she eyed her packed bags sitting in the corner. Her grandfather had just left for his evening whist game, and by the time he returned, she would be long gone.

It was finally happening. After years of dealing with her grandfather’s violent temper, his insistence that she act like a proper lady, that they serve the king across the sea—she would finally be free.

Rey saw Poe walking down the road towards the back of the house and shivered in excitement. Even from here he looked dashing in the fading evening light, wearing his usual breeches and white shirt, his dark curls and tanned forearms making her swoon already. It was no wonder she’d fallen for him so quickly, after seeing him day after day working in the store—he was handsome, charming almost to a fault, and she knew there were many women in town who watched when he passed by.

She grabbed her bags and made her way out the door and straight into Poe’s arms, laughing as he spun her around. “You’re here,” she whispered. “You’re really here.”

“Of course I am,” Poe said, stroking her cheek gently, and Rey felt all the thrills of a new chapter of her life beginning. “And from now on, if you wish it, I always will be.”

She knew Poe could have led an easy life, if that was what he wanted. But his heart was too temperamental for that sort of comfort—the war had a lit a fire in him, a fire that needed to be put to good use, far away from the eyes of the staunch loyalist he was still contractually apprenticed to. And of course, he also had the complication of having realized one day that he was desperately in love with his granddaughter; a secret patriot herself, despite the fact that she was engaged to a high-ranking British officer.

He was going to fight for the life he wanted—the country he dreamed of, the woman he loved. Poe was not one to sit quietly and let the world dictate his choices for him: he would resist.

“We have everything we need,” Rey said, and Poe took her hand and helped her up onto the front seat of the wagon. “We have food from the store to last us until we reach Boston, and blankets for sleeping the night, and plenty of feed for the horse.”

Poe looked concerned. “We certainly are stealing a lot from your grandfather. How do we know he won’t send people after us? I mean, a horse, a wagon, all this food…”

“Not to worry,” Rey said. “He cares too much about his precious reputation to ever let it get out that his granddaughter eloped with his dastardly patriot apprentice.”

“Dastardly?” Poe said, smirking. “I rather like that. And what’s he going to tell Ren when you don’t show up for your wedding?”

“That I died of fever like my parents, I’m sure,” she said. “I don’t care in the least.”

Poe smiled as he climbed up on to the wagon seat next to her. “I must admit, the rebel in me is a little bit smug about stealing away a beautiful woman from a redcoat. Is that completely awful of me?”

“Not at all,” Rey said, leaning in to kiss him deeply. “I’m very happy that you did.”

And with that Poe grabbed the reins and they were off, the wagon headed north, neither of them even bothering to look as Williamsburg faded into the background behind them.

***

They had been traveling for a few hours on dusty roads, through the woods and past farms, the full moon radiant above their heads. The summer night was the perfect temperature, warm and pleasant, fireflies dancing and disappearing into the night.

“There’s really no turning back now, is there?” Rey said, and Poe squeezed her hand.

“Are you having second thoughts? I mean we can always—”

“No,” she said, leaning into his shoulder. “I’m so thrilled I can hardly breathe.”

Poe smiled at her giddily as they rode on farther, until they reached a lake shining under the moonlight in the forest.

“What do you think about camping here?” he asked.

“I think it’s perfect.”

Poe brought the horse to a stop and helped Rey out of the wagon. He fetched some feed for the horse’s dinner, and tied him to a tree by the creek running near them so he could have water to drink. Rey busied herself with unpacking the blankets from the back of the wagon; clearing some twigs and leaves from a patch of soft grass that she thought would be a nice place to set up camp.

“Ready for bed?” Poe asked.

“Not at all!” Rey answered, spinning around in a circle and laughing. “You’d think I would be, after all that traveling, but I don’t think I’ve ever had this much energy in my life.”

“Me either,” Poe said, staring out at the lake. “What about a swim first?”

“That sounds nice.”

Rey watched as Poe unlaced his shoes, blushing in the dark as she wondered how much more of his clothing he was going to remove. She’d never seen him undressed, had never touched him more than their hidden kisses in her grandfather’s store—but they were to be husband and wife soon, and all that was sure to change.

Poe lifted up his white shirt and pulled it off, revealing a chest and arms sculpted from many hours of lifting barrels and boxes, his tan skin gleaming in the moonlight. It was almost too much for her to take in at once, and she looked away modestly.

“Oh, goodness, I’m—” Poe said, stammering. “I apologize, I can get dressed, and you certainly would not be expected to—”

“I’m quite alright, actually,” Rey said, taking off her dress. “I just need some help unlacing my stays.”

“Certainly.”

Rey stood staring out at the glimmering lake as Poe positioned himself behind her, and she shivered as she felt his fingers begin the delicate task of unlacing the complicated criss-cross of ribbon from her stays. She exhaled as the tight garment was finally pulled off, leaving her in nothing but the thin cotton shift she wore under her dresses.

“Are you ready?” Poe asked, taking her hand.

“I’ve never really swum before—grandfather always said it was improper,” she admitted.

Poe kissed her knuckles gently. “Stay close to me, dear, and you’ll be fine.”

Rey smiled at him as they waded into the moonlit water; her in only her shift, and Poe in only his breeches. Her heart raced as they went deeper into the water, her shift billowing out around her waist—she had never been completely submerged in water before, and the feeling was alien, thrilling, and oddly relaxing all at once.

They stopped when the water reached their shoulders, and she wrapped her arms around Poe’s neck, delighted by the certainty that for the very first time, they were completely alone.

“I love you,” Rey said, reaching up out of the water to touch his face.

“I know,” he whispered back.

“You do?”

Poe smiled. “You wouldn’t have left everything you’d ever known behind like that if you didn’t,” he said. “I love you too—and I’m so happy that you’re going to be my wife.”

Rey’s heart surged with so much happiness that there was nothing left for her to do but kiss him, and as her lips met his she let her hands roam free for the very first time, let her fingers glide across the hard planes of his chest, the strong curves of his forearms. Their kiss suddenly deepened, Poe’s tongue breaking past the seam of her lips, his mouth enveloping hers with a new fervor that sent a rush of heat through her body.

“I want your hands on me,” Rey whispered, and Poe obeyed, kissing her again as she felt strong hands grasp her waist, and she gasped as his fingers traveled up to rub teasing circles into her breasts through the fabric of her shift.

Poe moved his kisses to the inside of her neck, sucking and laving at her in a way that had Rey letting out soft little moans without thinking. She pulled away with sudden determination, and lifted the soaking wet shift over her head, letting it rest on a nearby tree branch.

“Oh my,” Poe said, staring at her awestruck. “Are you—”

“Yes.”

Poe’s eyes raked over her body, gazing adoringly at the scattering of freckles across her breasts and shoulders, her pale skin gleaming under the moonlight. He kissed her forehead, still staring at her in awe. “You’re even more beautiful than I imagined,” he whispered.

“You imagined this?” Rey asked with a giggle, and Poe looked down with a bashful smile.

“I wouldn’t call myself an immoral man, but I admit I have had the occasional…dishonorable thought when it comes to you, dearest.”

“Did you now?” Rey asked, and Poe gasped as she wrapped her naked legs around his waist.

“Yes,” he said, moving in to kiss up her jawline, his stubble scratching pleasantly against her skin. “You were always far too beautiful for me not to…”

“Tell me,” she whispered in his ear, and Poe grinned, thrilled at how a only few hours away from home had turned his sweetheart from the obedient daughter of a loyalist to the wonderfully amorous lover of a patriot scoundrel.

“Hmm…” he said, thinking. “I used to think about having my way with you in the back storeroom, your skirts up, both of us trying to be quiet…” he reached down and touched her below her waist and she gasped in pleasure. “When I had to fix the window in your bedroom I remember how I stared at your bed, dreamed about what it would be like to hold you in my arms all night…I never thought I’d get this lucky…”

Rey kissed him again, deliriously happy. “Poe, I’ve been thinking…”

“Yes, my love?”

“I want to lie with you tonight. As husband and wife.”

“Are you sure? We’ll be married this time next week anyhow.”

“I’m sure if you are,” she said, sighing as the water washed over her bare skin. “We’ve broken so many rules already. What’s one more?”

Poe laughed. “I guess you’re right,” he said. “You’ll let me know if you want to stop, or if anything is uncomfortable, yes?”

“I will,” Rey said. “Let’s get out of the water first.”

Poe watched appreciatively as Rey emerged from the lake like a goddess before his eyes, her bare form glowing like Venus, her skin soft and shining under the moonlight. He followed her to where she’d set up their camp, to the soft nest of blankets on the ground, need and excitement running through his veins as he dried off.

He was still wearing his breeches, and Rey smiled up at him from where she waited, naked underneath the blankets. “Should I—?” he asked.

“Go ahead,” Rey said, her eyes watching in fascination as he slowly peeled off his wet breeches and left them on the side of the wagon to dry; her eyes widening as they darted down to glance between his legs, at just how ready he was to couple with her.

Poe knelt down and laid beside her underneath the blanket, and Rey snuggled in-between his arms, happy to lie in peace with him for a moment, feeling safe and warm as they gazed up at the constellations spread out above them; the fireflies flickering in the trees. They were a world away from Williamsburg, and anything seemed possible.

“Are you nervous?” Poe asked.

“Not really,” Rey said. “I’ve heard it’s supposed to hurt, for women, but I can—”

“No, no, dear,” he said, reaching down to hold her hand under the blanket. “It doesn’t have to. If I—if I make sure you’re ready for me it should be alright.”

“How?” Rey asked, and he ran his hands across her body, pulling her to him and kissing her deeply, his fingers tangling in her hair before moving down to knead at her breasts.

“Like this,” he whispered, moving his fingers down between her legs, and Rey gasped as he stroked gently, eventually speeding up as he moved his lips to her neck. She began to moan as he continued his ministrations, eventually slipping his fingers inside of her, stroking both inside and out until a strange but certainly not unpleasant feeling began to tingle up her spine, intensifying and spreading.

“Don’t stop,” she gasped. “Faster.”

He obeyed, and just when she thought the pleasurable feeling rushing through her body couldn’t get any better, it did, and she threw her head back in bliss, Poe kissing her gently as she came down from her peak, still awestruck at the feeling.

“What was that?” she exclaimed, still out of breath. “And can we do it again?”

Poe laughed. “You climaxed, love,” he said, stroking her hair. “And I’m very happy to help you achieve another one whenever you like…”

Rey giggled, looking up at her betrothed, at the adoring way he was gazing at her, and she knew with all her heart that she had made the right choice in running away to marry him.

“We can stop here if you like,” Poe said, ever the gentleman, but Rey pulled him on top of her, desperate for more.

“No,” she said. “I want to consummate our marriage. I need to feel you.” She reached down to touch him, and he threw his head back with a sudden groan.

“We’re not married yet, my love,” he said, laughing. “There’s nothing to consummate.”

“Nonsense,” Rey said. “We were bound together the second we set off running, don’t you think?”

“Oh darling,” he said, lining himself up at her entrance. “You’re sure?”

“Please,” she said, reaching up to kiss him with a sudden surge of passion. “ _Fuck me_.”

Poe’s eyes darkened in pleasant surprise. “I didn’t know you knew that word.”

“I gave up being a lady today,” she said, sighing as she felt him slowly begin to enter her. “I figure I may as well give up talking like one, too.”

“I think I can live with that,” he said, and Rey sighed as he slowly started to move, making sure she was comfortable before he sped up his pace.

“How is it, darling?” he stuttered out, running a rough hand up one of her thighs as he thrust inside her. “Does it feel good?”

“Oh, yes,” she replied. “I— _oh.”_

“Yes?”

“I’m just,” Rey said, Poe groaning into her neck as he sped up his pace. “I’m _so_ glad I ran away with you…”

“So am I,” he said, and they laughed as they continued moving together, finding a pleasurable rhythm as their bodies joined together under the blankets. “I’m the luckiest man in the colonies…you’re going to be such a beautiful bride… _Rey…_ ”

Rey lost herself in the feeling of her betrothed all around her, inside her, and sighed happily to herself. This time yesterday she had been a proper lady, all laced up and nothing more than a possession for her grandfather to pass on to that despicable officer; expected to live for others, and not for herself. But right now, she was free, on her way to a new life, a wild woman giving into her desires, lying naked on a blanket under the stars as her lover pleasured her.

She arched her back as Poe stilled inside her and groaned, pulling out to spill his release on the nearby grass. “I assume you don’t want a baby this soon.”

“No,” Rey said, laughing. “But someday, it might be nice.”

Poe smiled, pulling her back into his arms, and they snuggled close together as they watched the constellations dance above them.

“I’ve never felt so alive,” she said. “I thought that maybe leaving everything I knew behind would hurt, but it doesn’t. I’m so gloriously happy that I don’t know what to do with myself.”

“I’m so pleased to hear it,” Poe whispered, taking her hand to kiss it again. “There’s no such thing as change without loss, but I think we made the right choice.”

“So do I,” Rey said. “A new husband, a new nation, a new city—I think I’m going to enjoy myself.”

“I’ll make sure of it, Mrs. Dameron,” he teased, kissing her again as they tangled together under the blankets.

They talked of their new dreams until they fell asleep, wrapped up safe in each other’s arms, and woke to the sun rising for the first time on a world that was theirs to explore.


End file.
